Sad and Terrible Move to Fire Wojo

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Not really, MU has recruited 4 MCD AA in its history, Wojo got two.  He was getting talent.

But, on the other side, he was not the next Jay Wright or Kevin Willard either.

That means nothing without wins, which wojo could do with McD AAs or McD employees.

[5DollarPitcher]

Wisky fans are happy, too.  Wojo's record vs UW-Mad: 4-3.

There's a coach out there that could have us 6-1.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

best recruiting coach MU ever had and in a year where Kentucky, Duke and Michigan Sate are not in the tournament he gets fired?  last year they could have been bounced in the first round, but had talent to make elite 8 so we'll never know.  this year was a waste and a strong FR class and good incoming class next year are all but gone.  guess it's back to the Mike Deane years or worse we'll be the next DePaul in the conference

Elite 8 last year? Really?

[Silkk the Shaka]

It's unrealistic not to acknowledge that this could end up looking like a terrible move for Marquette.

However, I'm putting trust in the admin to make the right moves, and find a charismatic X's & O's guy that can lead the team.

I don't doubt that he could have success elsewhere. Coaches learn and grow from failures, and grow from new environments. It just wasn't gonna happen for him here. I wish him luck and harbor no ill will for him personally. Excited for the future of the program. LFGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[muwarrior97]

best recruiting coach MU ever had and in a year where Kentucky, Duke and Michigan Sate are not in the tournament he gets fired?  last year they could have been bounced in the first round, but had talent to make elite 8 so we'll never know.  this year was a waste and a strong FR class and good incoming class next year are all but gone.  guess it's back to the Mike Deane years or worse we'll be the next DePaul in the conference

Smoking what??

Dude, We are DePaul (hoops) now! Have to right this now or the return to Hoops relevance may never happen again

[The Sultan]

Smoking what??

Dude, We are DePaul (hoops) now! Have to right this now or the return to Hoops relevance may never happen again

What?  Marquette has been in far worse shape than this...much worse....and has come back before.  Get some perspective.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Smoking what??

Dude, We are DePaul (hoops) now! Have to right this now or the return to Hoops relevance may never happen again

Hyperbole. Illinois looked terrible for years but look how quick they turned things around with Underwood.

[MomofMUltiples]

I think 78's point is close to mine - firing Wojo is only the first step to getting the program turned. The next step, which MUST be successful, is the slam dunk hire that keeps DJ, DG and JFL on board and brings in at least 2 of the 3 recruits, plus some of his own. If this step fails, y'all are celebrating prematurely and we'll be right back here in three years.

[Galway Eagle]

I think 78's point is close to mine - firing Wojo is only the first step to getting the program turned. The next step, which MUST be successful, is the slam dunk hire that keeps DJ, DG and JFL on board and brings in at least 2 of the 3 recruits, plus some of his own. If this step fails, y'all are celebrating prematurely and we'll be right back here in three years.

Not quite the doomsday scenario you're implying with instant transfers this year. Yes ideally Mitchell Aidoo DJ Lewis and Garcia would all return/arrive. However your point is essentially the sunk cost fallacy for businesses.

[#UnleashSean]

It depends on who they hire to replace him.  But I agree, the crowd celebrating the Wojo firing have no idea that this is the most dangerous period for MU basketball since Dukiet. 

If MU screws up this next hire, we are at risk of becoming the next Depaul

We're already the new st John's.

[rocky_warrior]

Not quite the doomsday scenario you're implying with instant transfers this year.

Transfers may work out to build a team, but it will still take a few years.  see: all the excitement for every new transfer every year that goes bust at the beginning of the season

[Silent Verbal]

I think 78's point is close to mine - firing Wojo is only the first step to getting the program turned. The next step, which MUST be successful, is the slam dunk hire that keeps DJ, DG and JFL on board and brings in at least 2 of the 3 recruits, plus some of his own. If this step fails, y'all are celebrating prematurely and we'll be right back here in three years.

As Karl Urban said in Dredd, "Mama, it's judgment time!"

There is no MUST about bringing back those three players you mentioned.  They might've transferred if Wojo stayed.  Carton may have gone pro.  Garcia and Carton were probably not going to play at MU beyond next season.  And most recruits who've committed to a coach will de-commit when that coach is fired or leaves.  So what?  Are you really sad Ahmed Hill and Mariel Shayok didn't end up here.  Those guys were solid college players, but quickly forgotten by MU fans.

No, Mom, the only MUST is we have to bring in a coach who can get his own good players and win games.  Next year will probably be rough.  But by year two, a good coach should have us in the Tourney, and have us really rolling by years 3 and 4.

Wojo's gone and he's not coming back.

[GooooMarquette]

I think 78's point is close to mine - firing Wojo is only the first step to getting the program turned. The next step, which MUST be successful, is the slam dunk hire that keeps DJ, DG and JFL on board and brings in at least 2 of the 3 recruits, plus some of his own. If this step fails, y'all are celebrating prematurely and we'll be right back here in three years.

I'm worried as well. Everyone assumes we'll make a home run hire...but it's a lot easier to get a bloop single or even strike out.

If we go into the summer without DJ, DJ, JFL and the new recruits, the new guy will have a lot to prove in a hurry.

[Viper]

Wisky fans are happy, too.  Wojo's record vs UW-Mad: 4-3.

Barry has the scope on Gard

[MU82]

If you truly believe the current coach is not the right person to continue to guide your program, you make him your former coach. Period.

Wojo had to go.

You don't worry that you might pick somebody worse. That's defeatist. You have confidence in yourselves as administrators. College basketball is a big, wide world with a lot of fine coaches. You assume you will find one, the right one. No doubt, you already have a list going, and maybe even have made some initial contacts with agents.

You also can't worry about players who might transfer or recruits who might de-commit. I go in expecting DJ, Garcia, Lewis, Mitchell and Aidoo to go elsewhere. If one or more of them stay with Marquette, I will consider each to be a very pleasant surprise.

There will be painful moments to the rebuild, and it almost surely will take years no matter who we hire. Most Scoopers think Buzz is a very good coach; he just wrapped up Year 2 at TAMU and they suck. Underwood deserves all the praise he has received for his work at Illinois, but it's taken him 4 years to get here. Etc, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc.

If we hire the right coach, it will have been worth the wait. If we don't, we'll be back here talking about this stuff 3 or 4 or 5 (or 7!) years from now.

We Are Marquette!

[panda]

Transfers may work out to build a team, but it will still take a few years.  see: all the excitement for every new transfer every year that goes bust at the beginning of the season

Don't look at Arkansas' roster....

[nyg]

If you truly believe the current coach is not the right person to continue to guide your program, you make him your former coach. Period.

Wojo had to go.

You don't worry that you might pick somebody worse. That's defeatist. You have confidence in yourselves as administrators. College basketball is a big, wide world with a lot of fine coaches. You assume you will find one, the right one. No doubt, you already have a list going, and maybe even have made some initial contacts with agents.

You also can't worry about players who might transfer or recruits who might de-commit. I go in expecting DJ, Garcia, Lewis, Mitchell and Aidoo to go elsewhere. If one or more of them stay with Marquette, I will consider each to be a very pleasant surprise.

There will be painful moments to the rebuild, and it almost surely will take years no matter who we hire. Most Scoopers think Buzz is a very good coach; he just wrapped up Year 2 at TAMU and they suck. Underwood deserves all the praise he has received for his work at Illinois, but it's taken him 4 years to get here. Etc, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc.

If we hire the right coach, it will have been worth the wait. If we don't, we'll be back here talking about this stuff 3 or 4 or 5 (or 7!) years from now.

We Are Marquette!

If that happens and they take their time hiring a coach, the result getting no quality transfers it will be worse than you think.  Hope it all works out.

[NickelDimer]

The reason "this is a dangerous period for our program" is because of Wojo. Good fucking riddance.

[cheebs09]

The reason "this is a dangerous period for our program" is because of Wojo. Good unnatural carnal knowledgeing riddance.

Exactly. We could botch this next hire and things get worse. There's no guarantees.

However, I think it's pretty safe to say we weren't going to accomplish the program's goals with Wojo. They need to take the risk in order to find someone who can meet those goals.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

I don't even mind if we are not so good the next couple years. But we haven't been a well coached team in so long that even watching on TV has been a waste of time. This was the right call.

[PointWarrior]

Wojo appears to be a great person, just not a good basketball coach.

If still feeling really sorry for Wojo, he got 7 years of being paid millions for crapty results and a going away package of likely $9-$10M.

Mean while, MU got 7 years of crapty results and starting over...

[avid1010]

best recruiting coach MU ever had and in a year where Kentucky, Duke and Michigan Sate are not in the tournament he gets fired?  last year they could have been bounced in the first round, but had talent to make elite 8 so we'll never know.  this year was a waste and a strong FR class and good incoming class next year are all but gone.  guess it's back to the Mike Deane years or worse we'll be the next DePaul in the conference

mike deane had more success...

[muwarrior69]

If you truly believe the current coach is not the right person to continue to guide your program, you make him your former coach. Period.

Wojo had to go.

You don't worry that you might pick somebody worse. That's defeatist. You have confidence in yourselves as administrators. College basketball is a big, wide world with a lot of fine coaches. You assume you will find one, the right one. No doubt, you already have a list going, and maybe even have made some initial contacts with agents.

You also can't worry about players who might transfer or recruits who might de-commit. I go in expecting DJ, Garcia, Lewis, Mitchell and Aidoo to go elsewhere. If one or more of them stay with Marquette, I will consider each to be a very pleasant surprise.

There will be painful moments to the rebuild, and it almost surely will take years no matter who we hire. Most Scoopers think Buzz is a very good coach; he just wrapped up Year 2 at TAMU and they suck. Underwood deserves all the praise he has received for his work at Illinois, but it's taken him 4 years to get here. Etc, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc.

If we hire the right coach, it will have been worth the wait. If we don't, we'll be back here talking about this stuff 3 or 4 or 5 (or 7!) years from now.

We Are Marquette!

God I hope not. If it takes that long Al and I just might have a long talk with the Big Guy to turn the program around and getting you to see the light.

[MomofMUltiples]

Not quite the doomsday scenario you're implying with instant transfers this year. Yes ideally Mitchell Aidoo DJ Lewis and Garcia would all return/arrive. However your point is essentially the sunk cost fallacy for businesses.

I'm not saying that it was wrong to fire Wojo. Just saying that that's only the first step to stop the bleeding. The turnaround happens with the RIGHT hire, not just any hire.   Keep the current guys, bring his own guys, I don't care. But we all know "anyone but Wojo" is not the full answer to this problem.

[MU24]

Sure Wojo got talent in the door, but didnt do anything with it. What good is a recruiter if you cant use the talent?